Washing machine



Nov. 25, 1941. w, FYORNEY WASHING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 11, 1940' L, W l oj'ney at i . UNITED STATES PATENT-'1 OFFICE l I r 2,264,202 WASHING MACHINE' Elbridge W. Forney, Canton, Ohio Application-April I1, 1940, Serial No. 329,170

- the same taken substantially along the plane of 11 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved con-' struction of washing machine of simple construce tion so cons ructed that it can be operated as a washer, su er, wringer, water pump, rinser, water extr ctor, clothes separator, dryer and flufier or wrinkle remover.

More particularly, it is an object of. this invention 'to provide a washing machine of simple construction capable of being economically manufactured and sold having the movable parts thereof driven by a direct drive withoutthe use of gears, belts or other connecting means.

' Still another object of the invention is to provide-a washing machine wherein the various operations will be performed by means of a revolving motion which produces a novel centrifugal action on the clothes and washing medium causing the clothes to roll and tumble as they aredirected outwardly by the revolving and agitating parts so that the continually changing position of the clothes will cause the washing medium to thorough v circulate through and reach all portions of the clothes, to produce a thorough washing or rinsing operation.

Still a further aim ofthe invention is to provide a washing machine including a single driven shaft journaled perpendicularly in the bottom of the casing thereof and connected to a motor disposed therebeneath andsupported by elevating means whereby the shaft may be elevated so that the agitating disc, connected to the shaft,

may be revolved alone or in conjunction with the clothes bowl, or these parts may be both elevated above the water level in the casing to permit the water to drain from the clothes without actually removing the water from the casing.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become apparent from the following description of the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment thereof, and where- Figure 1 is a vertical, substantially central-sectional view of the machine,

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing the moving parts of the machine an elevated Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of the line 6---6 of Figure 5, g Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 5 of another form of the agitating and propelling means, Figure 8 is a transverse sectional view of the same taken substantially along the plane of the. I

line 8-8 of Figure '1,

Figu're9 is a view similar to Figures Sand 7 of still another form of agitating and propelling I means, and

Figure 10 is a. transverse sectional view taken I substantially along the plane of the line 10-10 of Figure 9, and a Figure ll is .a vertical sectional view' taken substantially along the plane of the line ll-ll of Figure 1.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the 'difierent views, l0 designates generally the improved washing machine including a cylindrical walled casing II which is supported in an elevated p'osition by means of a'plurality of legs l2, which depend therefrom, and which is provided with an open top 13 having a lid l4 for closing the whichis secured to and depends from the underside of the portion |5.- H A substantially perpendicular shaft I8 is journaled, intermediate of its ends, in the bearing 11 with one end thereof extending upwardly into the lower portion of the casing II and with its opposite end depending downwardly therefrom. A clothes bowl I9 is loosely mounted in the casing II with the outer portionof its bottom normallyresting on the annular portion 20, of the bottom of the casing H, which surrounds the concave portion l5, when the shaft [8 isiin its normal lowered position, as seen in Figure 1. g The bottom of the bowl I9 is provided with a central opening 2| in which a portion of the shaftv V .I8 is loosely mounted and by means of which the cylindrical side wall 22 of the clothes bowl I9 is held in spaced apart relationship to the cylindrical side wall of the casing II. A disc 23 is disposed iii-the bowl l9 and is provided with a 1 central opening 24 to receive the upperthreaded. end of the shaft [8 to which it is keyed by means of the fastenin'gs 25 which also retain the disc 23 in spaced apart, substantially parallel rela- T tionship to the bottom of the bowl IS. A clutch member 26 is" disposed in the concave portion l5 I and includes a central portion 21 which is keyed which is disposed in spaced .apart relationship tof-thesshaft I and an outer, annular portion 29 ed on the shaft l3 adjacent the coupling 33 to provide a cover for the motor 35 and to form a to the bottom of the bowl I9 and therebeneath. splash guard to protect the motor from any leak- A ring 29, of any suitable material for providing a frictional engagement with the bottom of the bowl I9, is mounted on the-upper side of and suitably secured to the annular portion 23.

A lever 39 is disposed beneath the casing II and is pivotally connected at one of its ends by means of a pin 3| to one of the legs l2, adjacent the lower end thereof. [As best seen in Figure 2, the lever 39 is composed of a pair of bars 32, the end portions of which are disposed in abutting relationship. The bars 32 are provided with intermediate portions 33 which are bowed outwardly relatively to each other to form an elongated open frame 34 in which is adapted to be mounted a motor 35 having diametrically age from the casing II. The bearing I1 is provided with a stufiing box 43 to prevent any leakage from the casing ll around the shaft II.

From the: foregoing it will be obvious that the lid l4 can be removed for filling the bowl I! with clothes to be washed and also for filling the casing II with water up to the level as indicated by the line 49. Water may also be supplied to the casing H,-.if desired, by attaching a hose, not shown, to the passage 45. With the lever 39 in the position, as seen in Figure I, the motor will rev'olve the shaft is to turn the disc 23. The fins 42 will propel the clothes to cause them to roll and tumble in a circular motion and also outupposed outwardly projecting studs 36.which are slidably and pivotally mounted inelongated slots 31 incorresponding portions of the outwardly bowed portions 33. The motor 35 isprovided with a driven shaft 38 which is connected by means of a coupling 39 to the lower end of the shaft IS.

The leg l2, oppositeto the leg l2 on which the lever 39 is pivotally mounted, is provided with notches 40, as best seen in Figure 3, in which the free end of the lever 39 is adapted to be selectively positioned to adjustably position the motor 35. A contractile coil spring H is connected at one end to the bottom of the casing H and at its opposite end to the lever 30, adjacentits free end, to normally urge said end upwardly for counterbalancing the weight of the motor 35, the shaft l8, including the parts mounted thereon, and the contents of the clothes bowl I9.

The disc 23 and the side wall 22 of the bowl l9 are each provided with a, plurality of struck-out portions which project upwardly from the disc 23 and inwardly of the wall 22 and which form the propelling and agitating fins 42. The fins 42 form openings 43 in the disc 23 and in the side wall 22. As best seen in Figures 5 to 10,- the fins may be formed of a variety of shapes. In

Figures 5, and 6, one form thereof, designated. generally 42a is shown wherein both side edges of.

the fin are severed from the surface from which it is formed and to which it is connected at its ends, the intermediate portion th'ereof beingbowed outwardly relatively to the surface- In Figures 7 and 8, another form of the fin, desig-- nated 42b is illustrated, and in this form the fin is crescent shaped and severed from the surface,

in'which it is formed along a straight line to provide a fin having a single free edge rather than two, opposed free edges, such as the fin 42a. In

Figures 9 and 10, a third form of fin designated 42c'is illustrated. The fin.42c is formed by two opposed crescent shaped struck-up portions, the adjacent edges of which combine to form an elongated opening which tapers towards its Any one or all of these forms of fins 42 maybe used to provide the propelling, and agitating means'of the wall 22 and the disc 23. In each of these forms, the edges are of sufiicientthickness or are rounded to prevent clothes, not shown,

contained in the bowl I9 fromcatching or snagging on the fins and being'itorn or otherwise damaged th'ereby. As best seen in Figures 1 and 3, the rim of the bowl'l9 is turned outwardlyand back upon itself and the beveled portion-is bentinwardlyto form an annular inwardly projecting wardly of the disc 23 due to the centrifugal force produced thereby causing the clothes to strike the stationary wall 22 and be agitated by contact with its fins 42. Other clothesbeing directed outwardly by the disc 23 will tend to force the clothes already in, contact with the wall 2211pwardly and into contact with the flange which will direct the clothes inwardly and toward the axis of the bowl where their momentum will be lost causing them to drop back onto the disc 23, adjacent the center thereof, to repeat the operation. The fins 42 will also agitate the water within the bowl l9 so that the clothes will be further. agitated by the water to be thoroughly cleansed thereby. The fins 42 of the wall 22 will also rub the clothes moving thereover to remove dirt therefrom in the same manner that clothes are scrubbed onthe roughened surface of a washboard.

After the washing operation has been completed, the free end of the lever 30 is swlmg up-' wardly, from the position,- as seen in figure, to the position, as seen in Figure 3, to raise the motor 35, theshaft It, the disc 23 and the bowl I3. During this movement the motor 35 pivots and. slides relatively to the frame 34 through the stud connection 36 and the slots 31 so that its shaft 33 remains in alinem'ent with the shaft II and with the: bearing II. The bowl l9 in its raised position is'above the water line 49 and the clutch 29 is in frictional engag ment withthe bottom thereof to cause the bowl to revolve with the disc 23 so that the water is extracted from the clothes by centrifugal action and drained from the bottom of. the bowl l9 through the openings 50 to thereby extract the water and eliminate the need of wringing the clothes. The water may; also be extracted by raising the shaft l3 just enough to lift the bowl l9 out of engagement with the surface'2li and to cause the clutch 29 to engage the bottom thereof and by opening the valve 46 to allow'the, water to drain from the casing ll while at the same time revolving the'bowl l9 to force so that by attaching a hose to the outlet end of the passage 45 the water may be pumped therefrom to a drain disposed at a higher point than the passagej45'.

Th'e clutch 23 may also be employed as a centrifugal pump when in the position, as seen in Figure 1 in which position the portion l5 and the bottom of the bowl l9 will form a chamber which is closed except'for the openings 59 and from which the cleaningmedium and sediment l9 has once been filled. r

After the clothes have been-washed, rinsed and the water extracted therefrom and drained from the casing l I, the machine may be used as a dryer when the parts are in the position, as seen in Figure l, in which position the disc 23 is revolved to agitate the clothes and to agitate the air within the casing ll, thereby loosening and separating the clothes 'to permit the air to pass therethrough to dry the clothes and to fluff the clothes and to remove wrinkles and creases therefrom. This same operation can be repeated with mounted in said casing and is spaced apart rethe shaft [8 and the other parts connected there to in an elevated position, as seen in Figure 3, so

' that the fins 42 of the wall 22 will also function as agitators for the air and the clothes. The drying operation may be further enhanced by removing the lid l4 to permit a free circulation of air to and from the casing H.

The agitating action of the various types of fins 42, during the washing operation, tends to create a vacuum and air pockets in the water and to otherwise agitate the water so that the soap or other cleaning detergent in the water will be agitated to produce the maximum of suds. The space between the wall 22 and the side wall of the casing II also tends to retain the heat of the water within the bowl l9.

Various modifications and changes in the construction and arrangement of the parts forming the machine are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to as only a preferred embodiment thereof has been disclosed.

I claim as my invention:

1. A washing machine comprising a casing,

lationship to the side wall thereof, a shaft journaled in the bottom of said casing and extending into said bowl, a disc keyed to the shaft and disposed within said bowl, said disc being provided with impelling and agitating means, a clutch fixed to said shaft and movable into clutching engagement with the bowl bottom by an upward movement of the shaft, a lever pivotally connected at one end to a supporting leg of the casing, and a motor slidably and pivotally I supported by said lever and directly connected to said shaft for revolving the shaft, said lever being adjustable for raising and lowering the motor and shaft for moving the clutch into and out of engaging position. I

5. A machine as in claim 4, the bottom of said casing being provided with a concave central portion forming a sedimentwand drain trap, a

valve controlled outlet passage for said trap, and

said clutch being normally disposed in the. trap and rotatable, when in a released position, for centrifugally pumping the contents thereof through said outlet.

6. A washing machine comprising a cylindrical walled casing, a clothes bowl disposed therein, a shaft journaled in the bottom of the casing and disposed substantially perpendicular to the clothes bowl, a clutch keyed to the shaft and disposed within the casing and beneath the bottom of the clothes bowl, a lever pivotally mounted beneath the casing, and a motor slidably and said casing being provided with supporting legs,

a bowl for containing clothes mounted in said casing and provided with openings in the side wall thereof, a shaft journaled in the bottom of said casing and extending through the bottom of said bowl, an agitating member keyed to said shaft and disposed within the bowl, a clutch carried by said shaft and movable into engagement with the bowl, said clutch being disposed within the casingand beneath the bowl, supporting means mounted on said legs, and a motor pivotally and slidably mounted on said supporting means and provided with a driven shaft connected directly to said first mentioned shaft for turning said shaft.

2. A device as in claim 1, said supporting means being movably mounted relatively to the casing for raising and lowering the shaft for moving the clutch into and out of clutching engagement with the bowl.

3. A device as in claim 1, said supporting means being movably mounted relatively to the casing for raising and lowering the shaft for moving the clutch into and out of clutching engagement with the bowl, and foreleva'ting the bowl relatively to the casing.

4.' A washing machine comprising a casing having depending supporting legs, a clothes bowl pivotally supported by said, lever and directly the contents thereof through the drain passage.

8. A washing machine comprising a cylindrical walled casing, a bowl loosely mounted therein, a shaft journaled in the bottom of said casing and provided with clutch means for connecting it to said bow1,-a motor disposed beneath the casin and directly connected to said shaft for revolving it, and means for raising and lowering the motor and shaft for raising and lowering the bowl relatively to the casing, said motor being slidably and pivotally connected to said means.

9. ,A machine as in claim 8, the upper end of i said shaft extending through and being loosely disposed in the bottom of said bowl, a disc keyed tosaid end and disposed within thebowl, said disc being provided with propelling and agitating fins, and said motor supporting means being movable to a position for disengaging the clutch for revolving the disc relatively to'the bowl.

10. A washing machine comprising a casing, the bottom of the casing having a central concave portion surrounded by a substantially flat annular portion, a clothes bowl disposed in the casing and provided with a substantially flatbottom, a portion of which normally rests on the flat portion of the casing bottom, a rotary, driven shaft extending through and journaled in the bottoms of the casing and bowl and slidably mounted therein, an agitator keyed to the shaft and disposed in the bowl, a clutch keyed to the shaft and normally disposed in the concave porhaving a bottom provided with a recessed portion tion oi the casing bottom and beneath the bowl bottom, and means for raising the shaft to move the clutch into frictional engagement with the bowl bottom for rotating the bowl and for el'ebowl, an agitator keyed to said shaft end and disposed in the bowl, a clutch keyed to the shaft andnormally disposed in said recessed portion and beneath the bowl bottom, a motor directly connected to the opposite, lower end of theshai't. and means for slidably and pivotally supporting the motor and for raising and lowering the shaft and motor to move the clutch into and out of operative position and to raise and lower the 10 bowl relatively to the casing.

ELBRIDGE W. FORNEY. 

